Since becoming the first street worker in the Netherlands in 1970, August de Loor has been involved with drugs and drugs policy in Amsterdam and far beyond. For years he ran the Adviesburo Drugs (Drugs Advisory Office) and pioneered a series of harm reduction initiatives, including XTC testing at parties, the Safe House campaign, heroin user rooms and the cannabis coffeeshop as a crucial part of drug policy. August is not only critical of the government and the addiction care industry, but also for the coffeeshop industry. In December 2017, he received the prestigious Frans Banninck Cocq Award for his important contribution to the Amsterdam, national and international drug policy.